California law bans high schools from using Redskins mascot starting in 2017

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Of the 63 high schools that claim the nickname Redskins, four will need to change by Jan. 1, 2017.

California is the first state to ban schools from using the name as a mascot, deemed as "disparaging of Native Americans" by the U.S. Patent Office.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law Sunday morning that will go into affect the first day of 2017 after the state Assembly overwhelmingly approved the California Racial Mascots Act in May. The four California schools currently with Redskins as their mascot are Calaveras (San Andreas), Chowchilla, Gustine and Tulare Union (Tulare).

The new law comes three months after the Obama administration told the Washington Redskins they would need to change their name before they would allow a stadium move from suburban Maryland to Washington D.C.

The nonprofit group Change the Mascot and the National Congress of American Indians lauded California for taking a stand, calling Redskins a "demeaning and damaging R-word slur."

In a joint statement: "(California has) set a shining example for other states across the country, and for the next generation, by demonstrating a commitment to the American ideals of inclusion and mutual respect."

The four schools can perhaps follow the lead of Colusa (Calif.). In 2008 the student body voted to ditch the Redskins name and the school began the 2011-12 school year as the RedHawks.